Top for meter-boxes.



the means UNITED sTArEsPATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN H. FORD, OF HARTFORD CITY, INDIANA.

TOP FOR METEILBOXES.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known' that I, EDWIN H. FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Hartford City, in the .county of Blackford and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Tops for -Meter-Boxes', of which the following a specification.

This inventlon relates to covers for manholes, street valves, and more particularly to meter boxes, wherein meters are placed for measuring water and gas; and the objectof' the invention is to provide the above specified boxes with covers which are easily and conveniently placed and locked in operative position, and unlocked and removed fromsaid boxes.

I accomplish the objects of the, invention by means of the construction illustrated in the .accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view through a meter box, showingmy in:

vention in operative position. Fig. 2 a fragmentary detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through the locking device by-which the cover is secured to the meter box top. Fig. 3 is a detailin horizontal sectionof the meter box, on an enlarged scale, showing the retaining plan view. Fig. 4 is a cross section of the construction shown in Fi 3. .Fig. 5 is a central vertical sectional'view of the locking taken at a right angle plane line to device,

that on which Fig. 2 is taken, except that the worm is shown in elevation. 1 p In the drawings,-1 represents the casin that forms the body of the meter box, whic body is generally composed, in modern meter box construction, of vitrified tile. The body 1 is let into the ground a distance so that the upper end of the box 1, in operatingposition, stands flush with the surface of the ground. The t'p ofthe meter box consists, primarily, of an annular collar 2, of'a diameter somewhat larger than the meter box, so as to' provide an intervening space 3 adapted to receive the tying cement l em-' ployed in securing said collar to the body 1. The collar 2 is provided with the integrally formed annular. extension 5. As shown in the drawings, the extension 5 is formed on an incline which. terminates into the horizontally and annularly projecting ledge 6. This ledge projects inwardly and beyond the internal surf ceof the box 1, and provides y which the lid or cover is se- Specification of Letters Patent. 1

Application filed June 22, 1909. Serial No. 503,594.

'upon the gasket 12. r The cover 10 lug in an underside:

a corresponding hole in Patented Nov. 1,1910,

cured to the collar 2. tends entirely around the box it at once hecomes apparent that the cover can be secured to the collar 2 in any position in which said cover is placed 'uponsaid collar. The edge of the ledge 6 'is beveled on its upper and lower edge, tofacilitate the action of "the locking device employed to lock the cover fast to the collar 2. The cover 10 consistsof a circular plate adapted to fit and seal the openlng in the collar 2. Thecover I 10 is beveled on its lower edge, the plane of the incline corresponding to the inclined portion 5 of the collar 2, so that a neat joint will be made when the collar and cover are in operative position. i

To prevent surface'water access to thenfeter box, I provide the gasket 12 which is embedded into. the under surface of the cover 10. This gasket rests upon the annular rib 13v formed on'the upper sur'- face of the ledge 6. The collar 2 and cover '10 are formed so that when the latter is secured in position the cover will rest entirely V wh'ch it is colar 2. ThlSlOC ing devided wit-h a lockin device b made fast to the Vice consists of the worm 15-, provided with exterial threads which enga e the beveled pro ecting edge of the annuf the collar 2. A bolt16, having a suitable head 17 to receive a specially formed wrench, passes throughthecover 10, and the lower end of the bolt 16 is made square to engage 'the bodyof the worm 15, so as to impel rotation of the latter.

18, and a split-washer 19 is inserted between the face of the worm and the pin, to provide; a bufi'er, so" as to prevent'the worm from working loose through vibration. By

means of the annular ledge fi and theworm- 15, it willbe. seen that/it is not necessary. to place the-cover. 10 into any particular pois pro- The worm 15 is held in position on the bolt 16 by means of the'transverse pin.

As the ledge 6 exfrom gaining ar ledge 6, of

This movement of the cover 10 is a result of the pitch of the threads on the periphery of the worm 15 working against the stationary ledge 6. This feature is of special importance in this class of work, since many refractory covers are met with, occasioned, generally, by rust, dirt, etc. Turning the ,worm in a direction to draw the cover the worm 15, with the integral hook 25 which extends under the projecting ledge 6. See Fig. 4. The face of the book, as shown, is cut on an incline so that when the cover is forced slightly in the direction in which the hook projects, caused by the action of the worm 15, the side of the cover containing said hook will be forceddown tightly upon the rib 13, thereby making a tight joint entirely around the cover.

'While the drawings show and the specification describes the invention inconnection with water and gas meter boxes, it will be seen that the invention can be employed, without change, on manholes, street valves, etc., without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what -I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. A body portion having means to engage a cover locking device, a cover, and a coverlocking deviceincluding a worm to engage said means on the body and ada ted to lower and raise said cover to and mm said body without rotating said cover.

2. A body portion having means to engage a cover locking device, an annular ribv on said body, a cover, a gasket carried by said cover adapted to engage said rib on the body, and a cover lockin device including a worm to engage 'sai means on the body and adapted to lower and raise said cover to and from said body without rotatingsaid cover.

. minatin 3'. A bodyportion rovided with an internal opening bounded by an inwardly projecting ledge, a cover adapted to close said opening, and a locking device including a worm provided with exterial threads adapted to engage the projecting ledge for unlocking and forcing said cover to move .upwardly from said body portion.

4. A body portion provided with an opening bounded by an inclined extension terminating in an annularly projecting led e, a cover to close said opening in said bo and a revoluble locking device engaging said ledge when moved in one direction to tightly lock the cover upon the body portion and to release and raisesaid cover upfrom said body portion when moved in the reverse direction.

. 5. A body portion provided with an opening bounded by an "inclined extension terminating in an annularly projecting ledge,

a cover to close said opening in said body, a

revoluble locking device engaging said ledge when moved in one direction to tightly lock the cover upon the body portion and to release apd raise said cover up from said body portion when moved in the reverse direction,

and a hook on said cover opposite the locking device and adapted to contact the lower edge of said ledge, as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A body portion provided with an opening bounded by an inclined extension teran annu ar rib on said ledge, a cover to close the opening in said body, a gasket carried by said cover and adapted to rest upon said annular rib', a revoluble locking deviceadapted to engage the ledge when moved in one direction to tightly lock the cover upon the body portion and to release and raise said cover up from said body portion when moved in the'reverse direction, and a 'hook formed on the under side of the cover and In witness whereof I have hereunto 'set in an annularly extending ledge,-

my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana,

this 29th day of May, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and nine.

EDWIN H. FORD. [L.S.]

Witnesses:

L. B. WOERNER,

F. W. WOERNER. 

